Sunday, May 04, 2008

It's a Sin

I barely remembered this song from the 80's. I liked the music of the Pet Shop Boys and I mostly remember their bigger hits such as Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money), West End Girls, and their popular version of Always On My Mind (see below). As I listened to It's a Sin today, the music and the lyrics came back to me, and I can say that I was much more struck by the lyrics today than I was back then!

One example of a verse that really stuck out to me was:

At school they taught me how to beSo pure in thought and word and deedThey didn't quite succeed...

Judging from the video, the lyrics appear to be referring to a Catholic school experience, but I suppose it could refer to any type of private (or public) school experience in which morals were legalistically taught/stressed/enforced... and of course my mind quickly made the legalistic church connection in regards to this terrible obsession with SIN!

It's sad, but I think it's true that this song probably represents the mindset of many people in the world today in regards to their understanding of how God sees them. I pray for the truth of the righteousness that comes by faith, not our own efforts at righteousness, and the truth of the new life and the new identity that God gives us in Christ in which we don't live with a sin consciousness but with a righteousness consciousness and with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, to continue to be spread all around the world and to FREE people instead of keeping them in the bondage of a focus on sin!

7 comments:

Joel, I've never heard anything by The Pet Shop Boys (interesting name) before. The first song, It's a Sin, is quite powerful. I agree with you in your prayer. People need to be set free. They need to understand that Father is no longer holding their sins against them.

Thanks for posting their version of Always on My Mind. I was deeply touched by it.

I posted Willie Nelson's version Sunday morning and, when Charlie got up, I played it for him and we ended up dancing in the kitchen. Somehow, I can't imagine dancing romantically to The Pet Shop Boys.

The Pet Shop Boys were one of those popular MTV bands from the 80's. They got quite a lot of MTV and radio exposure.

I agree that It's a Sin is very powerful. I've watched it two or three times now, each time with a bit of sadness, just because I know that there are many people living without hope because they're focus in life is their sinful behavior.

Sooo many people in the church are taught about sin, sin, sin, and how "to be pure in thought and word and deed," as if that's what this Christian life is all about. Jesus is taught, but He's taught as someone who is looking down on people when they sin and only accepting them when they do right. This leaves so many people feeling very bad about themselves, because all they see is how much sin they have and how far short they fall of living up to a good moral life.

The real Jesus, full of grace and mercy and power, is left out of the picture.

As for this version of Always On My Mind, who says you have to dance romantically? Get out some shades, some flashing lights, some disco suits, and have yourselves a party!

Joel, people have a difficult time believing that God isn't angry or disappointed with them. It's sad to see them struggling under that heavy weight when Jesus has already lifted that weight off of them.

I have a meter on my blog which tells me how people found out about it. If they did a google search, it'll list the words they used in the search. Someone found my blog by searching for the words "how can I get God to not be angry with me". When I saw that I was heart broken imagining the hurt someone must be feeling to look for something like that. The search brought up my "God isn't angry with you" post. I hope it was an encouragement to them.

I agree with Russ. I hope more people will start blogging about this wonderful grace that we've been given. Even churches that talk about Father's love and grace tend to mix in enough law to completely negate what was said about grace. The result is that people are left hurting and hopeless.

Okay, Joel. I see you're trying to loosen me up a bit. It must be working. Last Sunday morning, on the way to "church", Charlie had the radio on and a familiar sounding song came on. It was "We're Not Gonna Take It!" which you had posted on your blog a while back. I was singing along when my hubby decided to change the station. I told him to put it back on. He looked at me as though I had lost it but he put it back on. I don't know if that's a good change, Joel, but apparently you are having some influence on me.

"As for this version of Always On My Mind, who says you have to dance romantically? Get out some shades, some flashing lights, some disco suits, and have yourselves a party!"

I'll definitely keep your suggestion in mind in case I keep changing some more. After all, you never know.

Aida... indeed it's sad to hear/read what people are searching for out there, not knowing God's love. I've had similar phrases come up on my Google Stats and Feedburner stats that landed people on my blog or website.

As you say, even in the preaching of grace, there seems to be law mixed in with it almost everywhere. Whether it's a little bit of law or a lot, even a little leaven leavens the whole batch and it causes fear and condemnation in the hearts of those who are under it. Only pure grace can free hearts to live a genuine life of peace in Christ!

We're Not Gonna Take It, huh! My secret plan is working. In the end I'll have you piercing your nose in five places, and you'll have full arm-length tattoos! But one day at a time... ;)